Magic is the non-scientific use
of electromagnetic energy with the assistance of all of the natural sciences
including psychology, herbology, astrology, and biology. This instinctive
science may involve spirituality or religion, but is not necessarily religious
or spiritual in and of itself, any more than is the hammer used in construction
of a temple.
Science can measure the presence
of energy in all things, animate or not. Among things animate, this energy
can be seen to extend beyond the surface of the item under scrutiny. Indeed,
these electromagnetic waves may be radiating to a considerable distance
even as radio waves radiate from a broadcast tower. If living things can
broadcast, it is conceivable that they can receive, even manipulate energy.
Science has also shown us that energy is the same at its most basic level
and that all of the universe is composed at its basic level of this energy.
Energy can be transmutated in many ways. Light energy may become electricity
and electricity may become light. The stored energy of a biomass may become
the radiant heat and light of a fire. The metabolism of food may become
kinetic energy or sound waves. Sound waves may have sufficient power to
affect physical objects.
The fact that we cannot see the wires in our houses
or rewire our houses ourselves does not affect our ability to use them
to light our homes. If we did not believe that the wires and electricity
existed, or could exist, we might refuse to touch the light switch or even
fail to see it and so be unable to use the electricity. If light switches
were hidden behind a soft spot in the wall and at a difficult height to
reach, we might never discover the purpose of our light bulbs.
Sentient beings have the capability to do magic, just as a horse can walk
at birth. It does not require extensive training to do, only belief that
the wiring is there. One may need help finding the "switches" and one needs
practice and assistance to refine the process and improve the results.
But the basic tools are there in all things.
Herbology is used in magic,
but it is not so enigmatic. It is simple chemistry in concert with biology.
This practice is magical more by association than by itself.
Astrology
considers the radiant electromagnetic energies of the heavenly bodies and
how these might interact and act upon the energies here on earth.
Psychology is brought into use
with rituals and talismans, symbology and religion. By imbuing objects,
places, actions, words, and bodily adornments with holiness we increase
our belief in the process, helping us to dissolve the inner barriers of
our disbelief. The traditions we use are then not important because they
are traditions but because they are our traditions. We cannot use
a tradition or ritual that does not feel right to us.
Each of us is a unique
individual and due to that unique personality requires a specific pattern
in which to work magic. One person may require seriousness and import because
he is a serious person. Another may require age in his traditions because
history is important to him. Yet another may be unable to follow directions
and so require spontaneity to work magic. We cannot dictate what works
for another although we can teach what works for us. We cannot expect to
be able to work in concert with everyone. Even so, we can recognize the
validity of another's method or path, even if we do not respect his goal
or direction.
What of the religion and spirituality
we associate with magic? Is there a purpose to life? Is there a divine
being? Sure, why not? There is no proof to show the sceptics but there
is a wealth of human history to say that there are divinity and purpose
here. What face the divinity wears and what purpose the individual serves
is not as important as that the individual recognizes them. The one constant
in the history of human spirituality has been that there is a divinity
attempting to teach us the ways of harmony. Harmony between humans and
with the universe in all its diversity.
Religions may teach non-harmonious behaviours but the core of them inevitably
speaks of universal concord.
The curious thing about our life spans is
that we are unlikely to learn all we need to understand for amity before
we die. How then can all the universe reach harmony if its disparate parts
fade away while still in discord?
Back to energy. Perhaps energy can retain
elementary coherence without the use of a matter vessel and contain trace
patterns of being within itself, a rudimentary identity which evolves while
in a material form, retaining behaviourial patterns but not necessarily
specific knowledge.
Thus, a child may be born with learned lessons but
no memories of past incarnations. By this process, an individual would
have all of eternity to learn what he needs to learn to achieve accordance.
What if we blow ourselves up
or "kill off the earth?" We cannot destroy life, only the metapattern we
now know. So long as there is matter capable of sentient animation we can
continue to learn. The only reason, therefore, to care for and about the
world around us, it's people, places and things, is because that is part
of learning to love.